Smileomizer (Large) Review
In the nearly four years Ive been vaping, Ive tried hardware from just about every vendor and supplier I could find. Batteries from this place, cartos from that place, pass-throughs from over there. Still, each time, I find myself returning to Vapor4Life. Again and again and again. Why? Because the folks at V4L never seem content to rest on their laurels. They are constantly innovating and introducing new products, products that make vaping more enjoyable, less of a hassle, and more user-friendly. Released earlier this year, the Smileomizer is one of the newer additions to the Vapor4Life product family, and it is a winner.
Ive used standard cartomizers for most of the time Ive been vaping, and in general Ive been happy with the results. A few months ago, I began using tanks a good bit and found I really enjoyed the clean flavor I got from a tank setup. For the first time I consistently tasted my juice and not a dull, nothing flavor I sometimes experienced with regular cartos. Tanks are definitely a step in the right direction as far as I am concerned, but they have their drawbacks as well.
I know a lot of people use tanks without any difficulty, but I found them to be a bit clumsy. I discovered that for me to successfully fill a tank, I almost always had to disassemble it a fair amount and that is not something easily done while on the go. In the process of filling or refilling a tank, I usually ended up with at least some liquid on my fingers. Now, a little bit of juice on my hands is not a big deal to me, but more than once Ive had an open tank knocked over on my desk while I was filling it. (I have a special needs son who often thinks he needs me Right Now! when Im doing something delicate and he likes to grasp my hands suddenly to ensure he has my attention. Not the best situation when youre trying to drip e-liquid into a tank.)
The other day, the folks at V4L sent me a large Smileomizer and asked that I try it and let them know what I thought. I must say, I was a little skeptical at first. The large Smileomizer is kind of an odd looking critter. Its roughly the size of a tank, but is fully enclosed so the juice is not visible. It also has a large rubber mouthpiece designed to allow for biting, much like one would with a cigar.
Following the included instructions, I unscrewed the top and began to fill the Smileomizer. Again this concerned me a bit, because the Smileomizer can hold A LOT of liquid. As I filled, I watched the level of Nobacco Juice in my bottle drop and drop and drop. E-Liquid isnt cheap, and I was worried that if I didnt like the Smileomizer or if it failed for some reason, I would be wasting a great deal of juice. Despite this concern, I finished filling it, let it set for a few minutes as directed and then topped it off a little more to ensure the polyfill was saturated. Next I fitted it onto my manual Dial-A-Volt and hit the button.
Oh my! What a treat. Lots of vapor, lots of good clean flavor, and no mess. I pushed the button again. The second hit was better than the first. So much flavor, and no feeling of heat on my lips like Ive experienced with regular cartos. Just good flavor, wonderful vapor production, and no hassles whatsoever. I was immediately very impressed. I toyed around with the voltage on my Dial-A-Volt, bumping it up, turning it down, taking note of the differences in flavor and performance. For me, the sweet spot was at about 4.5 Volts. Loads of vapor. Great flavor. No burning my lips. And no juice on my hands or on my desk either, despite the fact that my son once again needed me Right Now! while I was topping off the Smileomizer.
In terms of performance, the Smileomizer is easily the best all-around carto / tank option Ive found for my personal use, but that is not to say it is perfect. After a few days of use, Im still trying to learn when to add juice to this unit. Sometimes I feel like it must need juice added, but when I unscrew the top, I find that the polyfill is still saturated. Other times, I feel like Ive just refilled the Smileomizer only to discover it is pretty dry inside and I need to add more juice. I suspect this issue has more to do with me learning the nuances of the Smileomizer than a problem with the product itself, although for whatever reason, I do feel the Smileomizer drinks a lot more juice than any other setup Ive ever used.
The mouthpiece is one of those things that people tend to either love or hate. As for me, I guess I fall somewhere in the middle. I enjoy the fact that I can comfortably bite on the mouthpiece if I wish, and I really appreciate that it stays cool and doesnt burn my lips, even at higher voltages. Conversely, the mouthpiece is rather odd-looking and takes some getting used to. It feels funny in my mouth and not at all like a tobacco cigarette or any other vapor mouthpiece Ive ever used. The only other misgiving I have at this point is that I know this Smileomizer will eventually die. It has to. In the end, all cartomizers, tanks and atomizers die. The only real issue is that when this unit does ultimately fail, it will take a good bit of juice with it.
In conclusion, despite the minor caveats mentioned above, I highly recommend the Smileomizer. I will admit there is a bit of sticker shock when the product is viewed on the V4L website (www.Vapor4Life.com). As of this writing, the suggested retail price for an individual Smileomizer is $14.95. However the standard price is often reduced by 50% or more they are currently selling for $7.50 and when purchased in packages of 5 or 10 units, the cost per Smileomizer drops significantly. Additionally, Vapor4Life runs sales quite often on virtually all of their products. In considering the Smileomizer, it would be short-sighted to view the purchase price without also considering the value and lifespan of the unit. The V4L website states that each Smileomizer can be refilled 12+ times, and there are many accounts from other users who have been vaping the same Smileomizer for as long as six weeks! With that kind of longevity, the value becomes apparent despite a somewhat higher initial purchase price.
Walt Nickell / Sherrick at ECF
In the nearly four years Ive been vaping, Ive tried hardware from just about every vendor and supplier I could find. Batteries from this place, cartos from that place, pass-throughs from over there. Still, each time, I find myself returning to Vapor4Life. Again and again and again. Why? Because the folks at V4L never seem content to rest on their laurels. They are constantly innovating and introducing new products, products that make vaping more enjoyable, less of a hassle, and more user-friendly. Released earlier this year, the Smileomizer is one of the newer additions to the Vapor4Life product family, and it is a winner.
Ive used standard cartomizers for most of the time Ive been vaping, and in general Ive been happy with the results. A few months ago, I began using tanks a good bit and found I really enjoyed the clean flavor I got from a tank setup. For the first time I consistently tasted my juice and not a dull, nothing flavor I sometimes experienced with regular cartos. Tanks are definitely a step in the right direction as far as I am concerned, but they have their drawbacks as well.
I know a lot of people use tanks without any difficulty, but I found them to be a bit clumsy. I discovered that for me to successfully fill a tank, I almost always had to disassemble it a fair amount and that is not something easily done while on the go. In the process of filling or refilling a tank, I usually ended up with at least some liquid on my fingers. Now, a little bit of juice on my hands is not a big deal to me, but more than once Ive had an open tank knocked over on my desk while I was filling it. (I have a special needs son who often thinks he needs me Right Now! when Im doing something delicate and he likes to grasp my hands suddenly to ensure he has my attention. Not the best situation when youre trying to drip e-liquid into a tank.)
The other day, the folks at V4L sent me a large Smileomizer and asked that I try it and let them know what I thought. I must say, I was a little skeptical at first. The large Smileomizer is kind of an odd looking critter. Its roughly the size of a tank, but is fully enclosed so the juice is not visible. It also has a large rubber mouthpiece designed to allow for biting, much like one would with a cigar.
Following the included instructions, I unscrewed the top and began to fill the Smileomizer. Again this concerned me a bit, because the Smileomizer can hold A LOT of liquid. As I filled, I watched the level of Nobacco Juice in my bottle drop and drop and drop. E-Liquid isnt cheap, and I was worried that if I didnt like the Smileomizer or if it failed for some reason, I would be wasting a great deal of juice. Despite this concern, I finished filling it, let it set for a few minutes as directed and then topped it off a little more to ensure the polyfill was saturated. Next I fitted it onto my manual Dial-A-Volt and hit the button.
Oh my! What a treat. Lots of vapor, lots of good clean flavor, and no mess. I pushed the button again. The second hit was better than the first. So much flavor, and no feeling of heat on my lips like Ive experienced with regular cartos. Just good flavor, wonderful vapor production, and no hassles whatsoever. I was immediately very impressed. I toyed around with the voltage on my Dial-A-Volt, bumping it up, turning it down, taking note of the differences in flavor and performance. For me, the sweet spot was at about 4.5 Volts. Loads of vapor. Great flavor. No burning my lips. And no juice on my hands or on my desk either, despite the fact that my son once again needed me Right Now! while I was topping off the Smileomizer.
In terms of performance, the Smileomizer is easily the best all-around carto / tank option Ive found for my personal use, but that is not to say it is perfect. After a few days of use, Im still trying to learn when to add juice to this unit. Sometimes I feel like it must need juice added, but when I unscrew the top, I find that the polyfill is still saturated. Other times, I feel like Ive just refilled the Smileomizer only to discover it is pretty dry inside and I need to add more juice. I suspect this issue has more to do with me learning the nuances of the Smileomizer than a problem with the product itself, although for whatever reason, I do feel the Smileomizer drinks a lot more juice than any other setup Ive ever used.
The mouthpiece is one of those things that people tend to either love or hate. As for me, I guess I fall somewhere in the middle. I enjoy the fact that I can comfortably bite on the mouthpiece if I wish, and I really appreciate that it stays cool and doesnt burn my lips, even at higher voltages. Conversely, the mouthpiece is rather odd-looking and takes some getting used to. It feels funny in my mouth and not at all like a tobacco cigarette or any other vapor mouthpiece Ive ever used. The only other misgiving I have at this point is that I know this Smileomizer will eventually die. It has to. In the end, all cartomizers, tanks and atomizers die. The only real issue is that when this unit does ultimately fail, it will take a good bit of juice with it.
In conclusion, despite the minor caveats mentioned above, I highly recommend the Smileomizer. I will admit there is a bit of sticker shock when the product is viewed on the V4L website (www.Vapor4Life.com). As of this writing, the suggested retail price for an individual Smileomizer is $14.95. However the standard price is often reduced by 50% or more they are currently selling for $7.50 and when purchased in packages of 5 or 10 units, the cost per Smileomizer drops significantly. Additionally, Vapor4Life runs sales quite often on virtually all of their products. In considering the Smileomizer, it would be short-sighted to view the purchase price without also considering the value and lifespan of the unit. The V4L website states that each Smileomizer can be refilled 12+ times, and there are many accounts from other users who have been vaping the same Smileomizer for as long as six weeks! With that kind of longevity, the value becomes apparent despite a somewhat higher initial purchase price.
Walt Nickell / Sherrick at ECF
